[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 60 (Wednesday, April 16, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E623]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CALL UNITED STATES TO ASSIST WITH THE HAITIAN FOOD CRISIS

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 16, 2008

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of 
this Congress a matter of utmost importance--the current civil unrest 
in Haiti over rising food prices, and the inability of ordinary 
Haitians to afford to feed themselves and their families. Haiti is an 
impoverished nation and this current crisis will only push Haiti 
further into despair.
  I am urging our great Nation to provide emergency food aid to Haiti. 
Food costs have risen on average 40 percent over last year's cost. The 
cost of staples such as rice, beans, fruit and milk has increased by 50 
percent. The majority of Haitians live on approximately $2 a day. These 
extraordinary circumstances have caused wide spread rioting throughout 
Haiti and have even resulted in death. People should not have to die in 
pursuit of food to feed their families.
  As a donor nation, the United States should have answered the World 
Food Program's (WFP) call for donor support earlier. The WFP appeal is 
for $96 million, and only 13 percent of the request has been provided. 
Our great Nation should be embarrassed for allowing our Caribbean 
neighbor to suffer this fate. I want to urge this Congress and the 
President to quickly answer the call of the WFP and provide critical 
food assistance to Haiti in its time of great need.

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